


Evening At The Gala

by SakuraShortStack



Category: Batman (Comics), Marvel, Nightwing (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Crossover, F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert, Stark!Daughter, Stark!Reader, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2018-12-29 22:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12094779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraShortStack/pseuds/SakuraShortStack
Summary: As the daughter of Tony Stark, you are frequently expected to attend Gala's. This time, you run into someone you weren't expecting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Anon Ask: “Hii! May i request dick grayson x reader scenario whereby the reader is the daughter of Tony stark and they met at a gala. While Bruce and Tony didn’t get along, their children do. I hope that don’t mind a crossover! I love your writing so much and I’m glad your so box is open. Please take care of yourself too!”

The luminescent lighting gleamed off ostentatious Calacatta ‘gold’ marble flooring, which echoed a soft tune with every step you took in your designer stilettos. You glided through the natural flow of the crowd with years of practiced ease; no one the wiser as to who you were, thanks to taking after your mother’s appearance more so than your father’s. You could hear your father’s honeyed voice fade as you made your way to an abandoned court yard that would no doubt be filled later in the evening as the drinks flowed and inhibitions lowered. Your eyes scanned past the tall cocktail tables and your smile lit up when you found what you had been on the hunt for. A lone bench secluded in a small garden away from the false laughter and praises, but more importantly, a place to get off your feet. You plopped down in a huff, smile widening as the ache in your feet lessened. You bent over, pulling off the offensive formal wear, pausing to enjoy the relief you felt from being fully freed from their confines.

“Already looking to escape for the night Miss Stark?” A smooth voice startled you out of your daze and you glanced up to see a champagne glass in front of you. Fresh strawberries bobbed around in the sparkling concoction and you peered up to meet the man offering it. He seemed familiar but you couldn’t quiet put your finger on who he was.

“I’m terribly sorry, but you have me at a disadvantage Mr.-“

“Grayson. Dick Grayson. Apologies, I forgot you probably don’t recognize me like this.” He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly, giving a genuine laugh. Your eyes lit up in recognition before a sly grin made its way to your face. You realize you have heard that laugh before and finally seeing the blue eyes hidden behind his usual mask, was a nice change.

“OH. Well ‘boy wonder’, I didn’t realize you and your pops were in New York. What brings you up from Gotham?” The atmosphere shifts drastically, but out in the secluded garden, no one is the wiser to you or your newfound companion.

“Will anyone ever drop the ‘boy wonder’ moniker?” He pouts while joining you on the bench. His legs are spread in a power stance and one arm drapes behind you on the bench while the other holds his nearly empty champagne glass.

“Never in a million years. I’ll make sure of it.” You tease and drink a little from your glass, eyeing the night sky with a sigh. “But you still didn’t answer my questions Mr. Grayson.” His name feels odd to say as you had only ever met him as ‘Nightwing’. Seeing each other out of uniform and not during worldwide destruction was odd. Especially since the Justice League and Avengers didn’t do too many joint missions and you had barely ever spoken to each other.

“Sorry, sorry. Force of habit when at these parties. My father reluctantly needs to speak with your father, and since your father has been blatantly ignoring him…he decided to come here.” His smirk widened and his head rolled slightly in your direction, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “Though I tagged along in hopes you would be here.” His forward confession floors and you laugh abashedly, no one had ever wanted to talk with you unless it was for money or status…but Grayson was on an even playing field with you. His family fortune in Wayne Enterprises rivaled yours in Stark Industries. You both had status famously and infamously in your superhero counterparts. He seemed to read your confusion as you looked up to see his grin had widened and he was chuckling happily.

“Relax, I am not here for any official business. I actually…” He shifted in his seat, sitting up a little straighter and twisting fully on the bench to face you, empty champagne glass long forgotten off the side. “That last joint mission we did. The one in Bialya. When we were fighting the militia there, you had some pretty amazing tech with you-“ His hands were animated as he explained himself with fervor before your own genuine laugh roared from your lips. Perhaps not the most lady like thing to some of the snobs at the party, but for once you were having a blast. He paused to look at you, his cheeks turning just the slightest pink. You had been amazed by his acrobat and tactician skills, but weren’t prepared for him to be enamored by your tech.

“Honestly I was impressed with you also. Those baton skills were amazing…but…I was thinking…” He quirked a brow as you chewed on your lip in thought. “It wouldn’t require much alteration, and the maintenance would be easy…but have you ever thought of upgrading them to have an electric charge?” You couldn’t help yourself. You were a Stark. Starks are notorious for tinkering and those beautiful batons were looking for an upgrade. His eyebrows shot up before a wicked grin took place.

“Dang, why didn’t I think of that?” He chuckled and ran a hand through his ebony hair, disturbing it’s once perfect style. Your heart thrummed in happiness, enjoying the praise in his eyes. You never cared what people thought of you…but that smile made you feel downright giddy.

“Because I am obviously a genius.” You winked playfully and downed the last of your champagne before pulling your feet up and turning to him fully.

“Not to mention humble.” He teased, turning to glance at the few people that were now making their way into the courtyard, occupying various cocktail tables.

“But seriously. Before you head back to Gotham, let me do it for you.” Your voice got softer, not wanting to chance being overheard by anyone.

“You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ll be there. I can always show you a few moves for a fair trade, if you would be up for it?” You nodded while biting your lip, each enjoying the moment before another shrill laugh from another attendee broke the tension. You both became aware that the garden was no longer private and you casually put your death trap shoes back on and exchanged numbers, before making your way back inside in search of your fathers; who were most likely together somewhere quiet, going over whatever it was Bruce needed to talk about. You wound through the crowd together, heat rising to your cheeks as his hand found your lower back, intent on not losing you in the busy room. It wasn’t long before the noise died away and the halls you traveled became quiet, just before you began to hear to muffled voices arguing past a set of mahogany doors.

“Stark you need to keep us in the loop when you pull something like that!” You could hear Bruce losing his patience and thanked multiple deities that they were far from the gala and in no fear of being overheard. While your father and yourself were publicly known as superheroes, Bruce and Dick preferred to remain secret about it, a choice you were respectful of.

“Look tall-dark-and-brooding, I needed-“

“I don’t care what you needed, you could have asked-“

“Uh, dad?”

“Bruce?”

Both you and Dick stood in the doorway, eyeing the two billionaires who were practically fuming at each other. They pulled back from each other and adjusted their suits, while failing to wipe the disdain for each other off their faces. Bruce stormed toward the door, grabbing Dick’s arm and pausing just long enough to turn a sneer back at Tony.

“For the last time Stark, stop hacking into the Watchtower!” Without another word he stormed off, pulling a bemused Dick Grayson along with him. Dick caught your eye before winking and waving with his phone. Hinting that you would be hearing from him later, most likely out of ear shot of his father.

“See princess, this is what happens when you live in a cave. No manners.” Tony sassed while falling instep next to you. You rolled your eyes as he continued to make petty jabs before leading you out to the car where Happy was waiting. Thankfully Happy kept your father entertained, agreeing with all he had to say about the rival billionaire ‘Bruce Wayne’, leaving you to read your newest text with a smile.

‘So, when can I see my humble genius again?’


	2. Chapter 2

Months had passed since your fateful meeting at the New York Gala and it seemed you and Dick couldn’t go more than a few hours without messaging each other about something. Whether it was a funny joke you heard, casual daily rants, or long-winded conversations about your deepest thoughts; there always seemed to be a message thread going full force on your phone. So, when your phone ‘pinged’ in the middle of an Avenger meeting, you couldn’t help but eye the text quickly.

_Boy Wonder: ‘Bruce and I are back in NYC for the weekend…do you have some time to spare for little ol’ me?’_

_Y/N: ‘Hmmm I suppose I could squeeze you in darling.’_

_Boy Wonder: ‘Oh please, you probably miss me terribly. Who else let’s you sass them the way I do?’_

_Y/N: ‘Darn, you caught me! Just don’t let it go to your head bird boy. Even if you are my favorite person to sass.’_

_Boy Wonder: ‘Well it’s a good thing I adore your sass then Miss Stark. Are you free tonight for dinner and maybe a walk around the Park?’_

_Y/N: ‘If I didn’t know any better I’d say you were asking me on a date Mr. Grayson?’_

_Boy Wonder: ‘Oh I absolutely am. So, pick you up in front of the tower around 6pm? Wear something casual but warm.’_

_Y/N: ‘I’ll be ready! See you then Boy Wonder.’_

Despite your confident tone in your text, your heart hammered in excitement and you felt your cheeks heat up when you finally looked up and saw Steve giving you a pointed look to pay attention. Natasha just smirked at your flustered face, most likely plotting to get the information out of you later. You did fail however, to notice your father’s narrowed eyes as he chewed on the end of his pen. Tony Stark may have been well known by all as a player, but when it came to his daughter he was paranoid she would meet a man exactly like himself. A thought that terrified him and admittedly caused him to cut down on his ‘one-night stand’ escapades. He wasn’t a fool by any means, he knew exactly who you had been messaging for months on end and every damn ping from your phone sent him into a petty tirade of annoyance. Of all people, why did it have to be HIS son?

The meeting ended a few hours later and you eyed the clock, noting that you only had an hour to get ready. Why the meeting had to drag on so long was beyond you, even the other’s looked mentally checked out when the ‘Star-Spangled-Man-With-A-Plan’ finally dismissed you all. You quickly made your way to your room before an arm intertwined with your own and a mischievous Natasha glanced at you with a smirk. Her inquisitive eyes scanned your every facial expression and you knew there was no way you could try to lie to her. To do so would be a fools errand and in the words of Mr.T, you pitied the fool who would try.

“Now, now…why the hurry? Do you have somewhere to be? Someone important to see?” Her smirk increased at your change in demeanor, your hands fidgeted and clung to your phone desperately, and you looked around frantically making sure your father was out of ear shot.

“Actually, yes. I need your help!” You turned to her with determination, earning a more genuine smile from the stunning redhead. While it wasn’t discussed often, Natasha was as old as Steve and Bucky. She too had a form of the super serum during her days in the Black Widow program, but moments like this her eyes held the wisdom of someone who had been around for a long time.  
“Natasha, I need your help getting ready for the date of a lifetime.” Your eyes were a burning fire and you clenched your fist in front of you in fervor, earning a bemused chuckle from the woman. It reminded her of herself when she was young so many decades ago and despite not being able to have any children of her own, you were the closest thing she had.

“Oh, and who is the lucky person taking out our favorite little Avenger?” Her brow quirked in curiosity as you approached your room, wondering who could have captivated you so much. You had never shown much interest in dating so seeing you put this much stock into what someone thought was a bit astounding to Natasha.

“Dick Grayson.” You sighed, hoping you didn’t sound too much like a lovesick little puppy. “He…he…I just like him okay.” Your stubborn nature came back full force, earning a laugh from the woman as you both entered your room. You were like your father in certain respects, your ability to switch from an open book and goofy and to aloof and serious was one of them.

“Well he must be special to get your attention. So…let’s get started?” She cracked her knuckles and headed to your closet, leaving you to stand there with a small grin, thanking the heavens for Natasha. She was the best surrogate sister and maternal figure you could ask for. The hour passed quickly, and you found yourself in a simple pair of skinny jeans, flats, and a form fitting peacoat. You both agreed that comfort was priority if you were to walk around the park while it was still cold out. You styled your hair into its usual look before giving Natasha a quick hug.

Your trip through the tower was a blur as you made your way down to the lobby, not noticing the many usual nods as you passed by S.H.I.E.L.D agents and Stark Industry employees. It wasn’t until F.R.I.D.A.Y spoke through the intercom that you snapped out of your daze.

“Miss _____, will you be exiting the elevator, or shall I send you back up to your quarters?” You blinked a few times before coughing softly.

“Uh, no thank you F.R.I.D.A.Y, I will be exiting. Thank you.” You stumbled out of the elevator, peering around the lobby until you spotted that familiar head of ebony hair. He stood tall, with his hands in his pockets and his gaze slowly taking in his environment; from where the exits were to how many people were in the room. It seemed even off the clock he couldn’t take away years of training, even if Stark Tower was considered one of the safest places in NYC.

“Dick!” You called out cheerfully, opting out of using your favorite moniker for him. Most of the people in the lobby were way too low on the chain of command to know his identity and nothing would kill the mood of a date quicker than exposing his secret. His lips quirked into a lopsided grin, his pearly whites beaming at you as he took in your appearance. He dropped his head slightly, grin widening, and the smallest hue of red dusted his cheeks.

“You look stunning ____.” He pulled you into a hug, whispering something into your ear before offering his arm on your way out. You smirked and laced your arm through his, enjoying the added warmth on the cold Winter day. “I hope you don’t mind Chinese. I found this amazing family run place near the park. Their dim sum is out of this world.”

“It sounds amazing. My dad has been on a shawarma binge, not that I mind, but a change of pace is always welcome. So, tell me, how have your new Escrima Sticks been treating you? Any changes I need to make?” You rolled your head in his direction, amused at his chuckle that reverberated through you both.

“They are brilliant _____. You don’t need to change anything. I have been taking care of them just as you instructed. Though I am not sure the criminals of Bludhaven enjoy the upgrade. I may have made a grown man pee himself…” He mumbled the last part under his breath that was visible on the chilly night. Your laugh broke his train of thought and he couldn’t help but admire the way your face lit up. You weren’t like the other girls he had dated before. There was no restraint to your laugh in worry that you wouldn’t look proper or perfect. Your emotions were unhampered and pure, something he found more than refreshing. He licked his lips, willing his heart to stop its hammering.

“Sounds to me like Nightwing just added a notch to his badassery belt.” Your eyebrows wiggled and the pride you radiated was almost tangible.

“Is ‘badassery’ even a word?” Dick questioned with a laugh, checking for traffic as you both crossed the street. Both of you pointedly ignoring the not so secret duo that was tailing you.

_“Hurry before the light changes you dolt!”_

_“Don’t get your panties in a twist!”_

“It can be. I could always call Merriam-Webster and ‘donate’ a sufficient amount to make it a word.” You joke halfheartedly, leaning closer to him as a small gust of wind hit you. His arm wound around your shoulders and he corralled you toward a small restaurant.

“I am sure you have a plethora of words to add if your texts are anything to go by, but let’s get you inside. It’s chilly and nothing warms you up better than Wonton soup and Dim Sum.” He held the door open, ushering you inside as the door’s bell chimed. You were quickly seated and soon a feast was laid out before you both. The aroma alone had you salivating and you nibbled on your lip while eyeing all the options before you. “As much as it is beautiful to look at, let’s devour this!” Dick nudges your leg under the table, effectively breaking the glorious trance, the Dim Sum had on you.

“By Thor’s hammer, this is amazing!” Your moan was borderline inappropriate as you savored the delectable pork siu mai.

“By Thor’s hammer? Last week it was ‘By Odin’s beard’.” Dick teased while sipping on some green tea, his dexterous fingers savoring the warmth of the cup.

“Thor’s family are actual Gods, so it allows me to be more specific than a simple ‘oh god’. Besides, it’s funny to see Thor’s reaction.” You wink at him, enjoying the butterflies that were apparently having a rave in your stomach. You had never felt this way around anyone, but one smile from him seemed to send an ‘Error 404’ signal through your whole body. You were convinced this man could stop a fight just with his damn charm.

_“Pass the hum bao Sir Broods-a lot!”_

_“Shhh, shut up Tin Can!”_

“Huh, touché. How have you been otherwise?” From there the conversation would twist and turn easily from serious discussions to witty and arguably terrible jokes. You lost count how many times he made you laugh and smile, but then again you weren’t sure you ever stopped. When the bill came you were flattered that he held up has hand, stopping you from pulling out your wallet.

“While I appreciate that you reached for your wallet, please allow me.” He gave a soft smile, different from his usual smirk or grin. You bit your lip and nodded, unused to a man offering to pay. Usually they assumed you would as you came from a wealthy background. It was the first time in your life that you felt like you were on an even playing field and that Dick saw you for you, not for your bank account or looks. Not for status and what he could potentially gain from you. Dick was the first man who showed interest in you that treated you like an equal and it was addictively refreshing.

“Are you up for a walk in the park despite the chill? I heard the holiday lights are still up and there is a few hot-cocoa stands we could swing by.” He offered his arm again and you nodded in excitement, not wanting to head home quite yet.

“So, what brought you to NYC in the first place? Nothing bad I hope.” You question, letting your curiosity get the better of you. You heard a small crash behind you, earning another hidden smirk, but chose not to look or give it much attention.

_“Watch it Stark!”_

_“Okay honestly, that trash can come out of nowhere!”_

Dick paused briefly to order some cocoa, tipping the man generously much to your delight. Nothing made you more furious than a stingy person who was blessed with wealth, only for them to horde it like a dragon hordes gold. One thing your father and Pepper both ingrained in you was that you could tell a lot about a man by how he treated those who provided services for them. If he was willing to treat a waiter, valet, or anyone else rudely while they served him than it was a good indicator that he was an asshole.

“Depends on your point of view, frankly I’d rather this be a ‘family’ problem, but this is more of a Wayne Enterprises problem. Lucius made it a point that Bruce needed to be seen in more cities than just Gotham to establish future alibis, somehow they wrangled me into joining. Bludhaven is pretty quiet at the moment and I called in a favor to have someone stand in for me. Tim and Damian have Gotham covered for a while, but it still wasn’t my first choice to use my vacation hours for work so early in the year.” He pouted, clearly not liking the impromptu suit and tie ‘mission’. You both related heavily to that, being raised in lavish lifestyles that surrounded you with the world elite, yet neither finding much joy in high society. “But aside from all that it’s worth it seeing you.” His familiar cheeky smile graced his face and the slight redness of his cheeks and nose made it all the more endearing. He handed you your cocoa before leading you toward a bench.

“Ah, I am sure the Police Department can handle a few weeks without Officer Grayson. Surely they aren’t that incompetent?” You are partially teasing, yet you both catch the underlying meaning as most Superheroes have clashed at some point with law enforcement.

“I am sure they can, but having the extra ‘presence’ is always a good deterrent.” He manages a quick wink that nearly steals your breath away.

“I definitely wouldn’t mind it.” You murmur, eyes peering down at your cocoa, watching the marshmallows bob to-and-fro in the warm beverage. Your eyes widen a bit at your admission, and you feel flustered when he laughs.

“Well if I am being completely honest, I wouldn’t mind having your presence around either.” His voice is softer than usual, apprehension laced within his words. “I…I like you a lot ____. I would like to see where this goes, if you are willing to give us a chance. I know we have a lot of responsibilities, but I feel like we would understand each other and could work around it.” His thumb traces the rim of his cup, legs spread and his head slightly hanging. He turns his gaze to you, and you can tell he is uncharacteristically nervous. His adam’s apple bobs and he licks his lips in wait.

_“Huh, at least he isn’t a player like you.”_

_“Like you’re one to talk. Your reputation is worse than mine.”_

_“…touché.”_

_“Sirs, are you ready to order?”_

“Dick, these past few months have been some of the best and that is with the distance. Being with you in person is even better, so if these are the moments we would be fighting for, it is worth it to me. You just have to promise that between us there are no secrets and we must always communicate.” You knew your heart was telling you to take the jump, to leap without looking. But the small, logical part of you had to give it’s two cents and make sure to give him a stipulation. He nodded quickly, his smile reaching from ear to ear.

“Of course. I promise to message you constantly, and if I need to be silent on a mission I promise to let you know so you don’t think I’m ignoring you. I guess the only thing left to ask is…will you do me the incredible honor of being my girlfriend?” His eyes bore into yours and you felt lost in a sea of endless blue before you find yourself nodding quickly, your cheeks straining from how much you had been smiling. He leans in slowly, fingers running along your jawline, before he captures your lips in a gentle kiss. It’s soft and hesitant, but it lights a fire through your veins and sends those raving butterflies into overdrive. A flash brings you both out of the moment and his arm encircles you, hiding you from the paparazzi that seemed to have found you both. Dick groans in annoyance, knowing this would happen but cursing the timing. You just giggle, feeling the tension leave him when he realizes you aren’t upset.

“It would appear our stalkers’ brought on the attention.” You nod toward your bumbling father’s that are arguing in front of the poor cocoa vendor. You had both known they were following you since the tower and should have known those two can’t be covert in any sense when together.

“I’m telling you cocoa should always have cinnamon you cave dweller!” Tony screeched in horror while Bruce looked ready to throttle the fellow billionaire.

“It’s the marshmallows that matter!” He bellows, face flushing red in embarrassment after drawing even more attention to themselves. It wasn’t until they both looked around and noticed the paparazzi and their two kids staring at them with deadpan expressions that they realized the scene they were causing.

“Hi sweetie!” Tony waved happily at the couple, “Remember Grayson, hurt her and I’ll kill you.” His eerie smile never left his face, but you considered this a good sign. If he wasn’t pulling you away physically than that meant in ‘Stark Language’ that he would support your relationship. Perhaps he saw that Dick treated you well the whole night, or maybe he was smart enough to avoid your wrath. Either one worked for you to be completely honest. Bruce just rolled his eyes and grabbed Stark by the arm, trying to lead the rambunctious man away. His son seemed to be having a fantastic time, and he owed Dick a night free from his usually chaotic life. He had to admit, you both seemed happy with each other. Perhaps this relationship would be good for you both, maybe Dick found the balance he never could with life behind the mask and having a personal life as well.

“Come on Tony, let’s go, before you knock over another trash can like earlier.” Bruce mumbled, sipping on his cocoa. He grudgingly started to find the man’s odd antics entertaining.

“Oh, we are on a first name basis now Bruce? You know, you are an alright guy once you get past the brooding and for the record, stealth is not my expertise.” Tony muses, pulling his scarf tighter.

“You’re not so bad either when you get past the excessive sarcasm. Truce?” Bruce eyes him patiently.

“Yeah, yeah. Truce. Besides, if our kids are going to be an item, we might as well get along. Though it’s no surprise our kids like each other. I mean…look how awesome we are!” Tony beams at his self-appointed praise, earning a bemused chuckle from Bruce.

“We are pretty awesome.” Bruce mumbled quietly, earning a smile from Tony. The billionaires continued on, pulling away the paparazzi with them much to both of your delight.

“Well…that was weird.” You said with a straight face. Mind trying to comprehend what you just saw.

“Did…did our dads just agree on something? I mean, they never agree on anything!” Dick looked shocked and his eyes were wide as he watched their retreating backs.

“Yeah. They even joked and called each other by their first names.” Your voice trailed away before you both snapped out of it.

“Wanna get out of here before the paparazzi come back?” Dick nudges your shoulder, quirking a brow with a smile.

“Oh yes. Want to go watch movies with me back at the tower?” You ask while stretching as you stood.

“If it means I get more time with you, I’d wrestle with the Hulk himself.” He places his arm around your shoulders, keeping you close for warmth.

“Oh, don’t tempt me Boy Wonder.” You say with a wicked smile that brought on a slightly panicked look to his handsome face.

“I WAS KIDDING, PLEASE NO!”


End file.
